To achieve its goal of zero emissions in the future, BMW said it is planning to use hydrogen-powered fuel cells. The company revealed that a powertrain that will feature in the BMW i Hydrogen Next prototype is also in the works. However, this car will not be mass-produced but offers a glimpse of what the future of the auto industry.
Fuel cells can be easily likened to electric car batteries. However, what makes it different is its usage of a fuel cell stack instead of a lithium-ion battery to power electric motors. This stack has the ability to convert hydrogen fuel into electricity.
The futuristic future-cell powertrain will have two tanks of hydrogen storage, which have the capacity to hold up to 13 lbs. Refueling can take in a matter of minutes, though BMW decided to include a battery in case an extra shot of power is needed.
The entire powertrain will have a total of 374 horsepower and an instant torque. BMW said that the vehicle should be available by 2022 in a pilot test run with the i Hydrogen Next, which is believed to share a lot of similarities with the X5.
After launching the pilot car, the automaker plans to introduce the model into the market by 2025, but that's only the earliest timeframe. There's going to be an electric BMW in the market for sure though, and it will come first.
Following the iX3's cancelation in the U.S., American BMW fans still have a lot to expect. There's going to be a flagship SUV model -- the iNext electric SU -- and an i4 electric sedan.
BMW is adamant when it comes to hydrogen, though. The company will pursue its plans with fuel cells, saying that it definitely has a place in the future of automobiles. BMW VP of the hydrogen program believes fuel cell electric vehicles' cost will become comparable to internal combustion engines by 2025.
Meanwhile, there's going to be an all-electric BMW 7 series, according to BMW Chairman Oliver Zipse. The exec said that the upcoming series will be available with four powertrain options: diesel, gasoline, plug-in hybrid, and the battery-electric version.
The American market will have at least two new electric vehicles from the German automaker. The iNext concept which should arrive in production form as a premium SUV, and then the BMW i4. Sadly, the BMW iX3 has been canceled in the country due to low demand.
